


Quirks

by MercurySkies



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Insecurity, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 21:23:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14121132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercurySkies/pseuds/MercurySkies
Summary: Everybody has their quirks, those little things that both infuriate and endear. Sometimes the line between those two emotions can get blurred. Ryan struggles to understand why he’s pushing Shane away when all he really wants is to be closer, to be more.Written for the prompt 'first fight' for the first round ofThe Buzzfeed Creations Challenge!





	Quirks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InkStainsOnMyHands](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkStainsOnMyHands/gifts).



> Wow so this really was a challenge! It was great to try something new and work to a prompt and a deadline for once and although I struggled I got it done!

It starts with the stupid fucking red pen. Ryan doesn’t think he’s ever actually seen Shane write anything with it but for some reason he always has it. Waving it around to make a point during an Unsolved episode, jabbing it in Ryan’s direction as he makes some nonsensical statement about the case. He fucking hates that red pen, hates that whenever he sees it he’s immediately distracted, eyes fixed on it as Shane twirls it between long fingers or as it rests in his grasp as Shane messes with something on his computer. Once he’s even spotted it tucked behind his stupid dumbo ears and he’d had to fight the urge to smack it from his head and perform a very crude tracheostomy. He doesn’t understand how a simple red pen can become such a problem but everytime he sees one on Shane’s person he feels heat flood through him and he sits, distracted and irritated, until Shane stows it somewhere out of sight again.

It starts with the red pen but it by no means ends with the red pen. The list of Shane’s irritating quirks is seemingly endless. Except no one else seems to notice them. Ryan storms into the kitchen one afternoon, a headache forming at his temples and he rather unhelpfully exacerbates it by slamming his mug down onto the counter. “Woah dude are you okay?” Jen asks him, eyeing his coffee cup with concern. He sighs, tries to unclench his jaw. “Yeah sorry it’s just Shane’s fucking travel mug you know?” She very obviously doesn’t know if the look of utter confusion on her face is anything to go by. “Um no I don’t know. What about it?” She asks.

“You know-” he starts “he’s always messing with it or tapping the lid or sipping from it with that stupid look on his face.” He huffs. It’s a stupid thing to be annoyed by, but whenever that travel mug is present Shane is constantly fiddling with it. If it’s not the pen it’s the mug and it’s driving him insane. “I honestly have no clue what you’re talking about.” She says, taking a sip from her own mug and smirking at him. “But I guess I don’t pay as close attention to Shane as you do.” She winks at him and he almost knocks his mug from the counter in surprise.

“You make it sound like I’m watching his every move. I’m not!” He protests, indignant. Jen raises an eyebrow and cackles, whisking herself and her coffee back into the office.

 

* * *

 

Okay so maybe he does pay a little more attention to Shane than most of their colleagues do, but it’s hard not to when they spend so much of their time together and Shane can frankly be the most annoying person Ryan has ever met. But now that Jen has pointed out how often he notices the little things about Shane, it’s almost impossible to ignore them, and even harder not to just say something.

“Why do you walk like that?” He asks, following Shane across the lot, eyes fixed to the slight slope of his shoulders, a curve toward the nape of his neck. Shane side eyes him, confused. He shoves his hands in the pockets of his denim jacket, step faltering a little. “Like what?” He asks with a frown. “Like you’re constantly avoiding a low ceiling.” Ryan laughs. Shane’s lips twitch up at the edges as if in an attempt to smile but ultimately Shane doesn’t join him in his mirth. He shrugs and rolls his shoulders back. “ _I am_ constantly avoiding low ceilings.” He says nonchalantly. “You don’t know my struggle.” He adds with a grin. They fall into step, all raucous laughter and friendly barbs, but if Shane stands a little straighter, walks a little taller, Ryan doesn’t notice.

 

* * *

 

“Ow Ry what the fuck was that for?” Shane hisses after Ryan had, on impulse, stamped on his foot underneath their shared desk.

“You’ve been tapping your foot non-stop for the past ten minutes.” He says brusquely, folding his arms across his chest. Shane frowns at him, wheels his desk chair a little further away. “Dude sorry, I didn’t realise. You could’ve just told me to quit it?” He says confused and yeah Ryan probably could have handled it better but he’d just been so distracted by the movement. “Sorry.” He mumbles and Shane just shoots him another completely baffled look before shoving his headphones back on.

After lunch Ryan can see Shane set up to work in one of the armchairs in the office, foot tapping away at a safe distance. Ryan finds he can’t concentrate as well without the rhythmic tap he so often hears in the background.

 

* * *

 

He really doesn’t want to keep lashing out at Shane but a well placed elbow jab is apparently the only way to get him to stop fucking snoring. “Mmph ow why?” Shane groans voice deep and hoarse, snuffling in his sleeping bag on the dusty floor of the old house they’re investigating.

“Between your snoring, the ghosts and this old ass house how the fuck am I supposed to get any sleep?” Shane is silent for so long Ryan is afraid he’s fallen asleep again until he hears the swishes and thumps that accompany Shane moving around in his sleeping bag to his left. He turns over to see Shane sleepily propping himself up on his elbow. He looks equal parts annoyed at being woken up and confused. “It’s never bothered you this much before?” He asks, blinking blearily down at him. He looks rumpled and soft in the dim light of the derelict dining room that’s serving as their hotel room for the night. Ryan can feel his face heat slightly. “You’ve slept with me before- I mean we sleep together- fuck uh-”

“Okay big guy don’t hurt yourself.” Ryan laughs on an exhale. He can see Shane’s cheeks pinking slightly in the grey light and he feels sorry for the poor guy. He huffs, smiling a little as he all but collapses back onto his pillow, face half obscured by it. “Just let my snores drown out the ghouls like a lullaby.” He mumbles, eyes slipping shut.

The next morning Shane is the first one awake and looking like death warmed up. Ryan doesn’t mention his bloodshot eyes or the way he’s inhaling bitter, black coffee at an alarming rate.

 

* * *

 

“What’s going on?” Sara asks him one morning, absolutely no preamble as she takes a seat in Shane’s chair, who’s still to arrive and take it himself. “What?” He says, blinking blearily at her. It’d been a long night, it’s always difficult to sleep properly again once they get back from location but the eerie silence, the distinct lack of Shane snoring or snuffling in his sleep had made it that much harder to adjust. “You’re bullying Shane.” She says and Ryan’s pretty sure she doesn’t believe he’s actually bullying Shane because she’d look a lot more mad about it if she did. “I’m not bullying him. Did he tell you I’m bullying him?” He says and Sara just shrugs, scrutinising him with her wide eyes.

“No but you’ve been on his case all week. On Tuesday, you snapped at him so much about the way he adjusts his glasses he went home and changed them out for contacts.”

“Really? Oh man...” He breathes, feeling guilt start to fester in his stomach. Honestly he’d just been so distracted by it. He hadn’t meant to lose his temper, and Shane hadn’t seemed bothered by it at the time. But clearly he had been, bothered enough to go through all that effort just to appease him.

“Really.” Sara says but she’s smiling a little. She gets that little mischievous glint in her eye that always spells trouble. “But you know I don’t think there’s many people that notice things like that.” Ryan rolls his eyes.

“Not you as well! Jen said the same thing. Look we’re best friends okay? It makes sense I’d know a lot about him. We annoy each other all the time.”

“Not like this though.” Sara says and she pats his shoulder consolingly as she moves to stand. “I don’t know half of my best friends’ favourite colours. You can describe in minute detail the exact sound of Shane’s laugh.” She lets her words hang in the air, like she’s just said something extremely profound. She wraps her arms around his neck from behind and gives him a quick squeeze. “Think about it.” She says teasingly, her curly hair tickling his ear as she pulls away. She backs away from him slowly, that mischievous smile still lighting up her face. “And stop bullying Shane!” She calls before disappearing back into the depths of the office.

It’s only when Shane finally arrives, looking harried and tired, scruff gracing his jaw, that Ryan realises what exactly Sara and Jen have been getting at this whole time. The world seems to slow down as Shane greets him with a small smile and he realises that maybe the heat that floods him everytime Shane runs a hand through his unruly hair isn’t just irritation but complete, unbridled affection.

 

* * *

 

Ryan intends to apologise. He has a brief but intense freak out where several things are realised in quick and explosive succession. Number one: Shane is still annoying. Number two: He has a crush on Shane. Three: That may or may not be why he finds Shane so irritating.

He’s never usually this dense. He’s not the most emotional guy on the planet but usually he can tell when he’s into someone. On this occasion apparently everyone _but_ him could tell he’s into Shane. When he thinks about it, and he means _really_ thinks about it; he really is into Shane. He discovers some not so PG thoughts when he thinks about the way he flexes his long fingers around his stupid travel mug or the way he licks his lips when he’s nervous and figures yeah maybe this has a lot more to do with frustration of a different kind.

Ryan tries to apologise but every time he even comes close to finding the right moment Shane swerves him. He suddenly always seems too busy and between filming for Unsolved, Ruining History and appearing in the odd video here and there, as well as all the extra work they have to deal with on a daily basis, there’s almost no viable time to approach the subject. Whenever Ryan is at their desk, Shane suspiciously isn’t. Whenever they have to film together Shane quickly disappears afterward, citing another project or an errand or meeting.

It’s obvious he’s avoiding him and the idea sets panic sprinting through his veins. What if he knows? What if he’s been so obvious that even Shane knows he’s into him? What if it’s the opposite and he’s driven him away completely?

It’s late one Friday afternoon when Ryan decides he’s had enough. They could go on like this forever if they had to, tiptoe around the issue until it either resolves itself or they drift apart. He knows the latter is much more likely than the former and he’s terrified. “You’re avoiding me.” Ryan deadpans, following Shane into the kitchen when he gets up to fill his travel mug. He crosses his arms, ready for some kind of fight, itching for one almost considering how _silent_ the past few days have been. At the sound of Ryan’s voice however, Shane just sighs, rubbing his eyes underneath the frames of his glasses, the telltale sign that he’s tired. He flicks the coffee machine on and stares despondently at his mug. “Yeah and you can’t stand to be around me.” He replies, voice steady and acerbic but there is a tightness around his eyes that tells him he’d rather avoid this conflict. He blinks too rapidly, licking his lips nervously. “What?” Ryan sputters, taken aback.

“Look, I’m a grown ass man Ryan you can just tell me if you hate the fucking sight of me.” He turns around, leaning against the counter, his coffee forgotten and Ryan suspects it was more of a pretense than a craving in the first place. Shane is looking at where he toes the floor with his shoe, eyes fixed on the scuff he’s made there. His jaw is clenched like he’s steeling himself for something. “Okay I’m confused.” Ryan says because he is and every minute Shane spends not looking at him has anxiety spiking in his chest. “Why’ve you been avoiding me?”

“I dunno? Give you some space? I’m clearly getting on your nerves.” Ryan immediately feels the urge to defend himself, because that isn’t true not really, not in the sense that Shane means. He gets on his nerves by lighting them up, shivers down his spine every time their hands brush, butterflies in his stomach every time Shane smiles at him. “You haven’t been getting on my nerves.” Ryan frowns but he doesn’t elaborate, unsure how to without revealing his crush. Shane just looks at him dubiously, as if he’s obviously lying.

“You keep bitching about every little thing I do!” Shane says, voice rising in volume slightly but he doesn’t shout, he never shouts. Shane’s anger is obvious even if it’s not overt. Ryan has spent enough time with the guy to know when he’s mad and his anger is a quiet thing, an approaching storm. “I don’t know why you’re lying about it. You’ve been picking on everything, stuff I don’t even realise I’m doing. I mean, the way I walk? Really? I can’t really do anything about that buddy so if it bothers you that much...” He trails off and clenches his fists and Ryan can feel the frustration rolling off of him in waves. He thinks they’re fighting, it feels like a fight, or as close to it as Ryan can get with Shane because they’re both reluctant to even be confronting each other in the first place. Ryan struggles to find the words to fix this. He wasn’t expecting this to go this way. He’d anticipated being discovered. He’s never been particularly good at hiding his emotions, and they’ve always seemingly been obvious to Shane. He’d anticipated being let down gently, he knows Shane is too good of a guy to cut him out because of a crush but that doesn’t change the fact that it would still inevitably change things.

Ryan remains annoyingly silent. He begs himself to say something, to placate the anxious look in Shane’s eyes. “Look you’re either pissed or we’re good dude, which is it because it kinda can’t be both and we certainly don’t feel okay?” Shane looks at him intently, studying him but he seemingly doesn’t find the answer to his question in Ryan’s visage alone. He seems to shrink, tall frame curling in on himself in a dejected, self conscious way that makes Ryan ache. “Okay.” Shane breathes out, he tugs a rough hand through his unkempt hair and then raises them both in surrender “Well when you’ve made up your mind,” he says pointedly, meeting Ryan’s gaze, “you know where to find me.” He brushes past Ryan and leaves, travel mug long forgotten on the counter.

By the time Ryan returns to their shared desk Shane appears to be buried in his work, headphones on and foot tapping anxiously on the leg of his chair as he types away almost frantically. They barely talk, only pausing to say anything to each other when absolutely necessary. When the end of the day rolls around Shane is the first to go home, quietly, but Ryan’s attention has been divided between his notes and Shane all day so he doesn’t miss when he leaves the office alone without so much as a goodbye.

Jen swings by their desks on her way out, and leaves Shane’s travel mug in front of him with a pointed look. He guesses he’ll have to return it.

 

* * *

 

Ryan takes his time getting to Shane’s apartment. He’s nervous, ridiculously so and for what reason exactly he doesn’t know. He rubs a palm on his jeans as he knocks on the door with the other, shifts his weight back and forth anxiously as he waits for Shane to answer it. When he does he’s greeted with a sight that makes him grit his teeth together so hard his jaw begins to ache. Shane stands in the doorway, rumpled and drowsy like he’s just woken up and _God_ does Ryan want to kiss him.

“Hey.” He says voice low and quiet as he rubs at his eyes and Ryan struggles to speak for a few seconds. But he didn’t come here to stand on Shane’s doorstep in silence. “Um hi I thought you might need this.” He says sheepishly, palm rubbing the back of his neck as he thrusts Shane’s travel mug out toward him. Shane’s answering chuckle has warmth blossoming in his chest, a feeling that is sappy and gross and he wants more of it. “You came all the way here just to return my mug?” Shane says, voice laced with amusement. Ryan takes a deep breath.

“And- and to talk, if you want.” He says, hesitant, and Shane spends a few moments searching for something in his gaze before he takes a step back, opening the door and gesturing for Ryan to come in.

He shuffles inside, noting the dim lights, the blanket on the couch and the half empty beer on the coffee table. “Movie night?” Ryan asks as Shane grabs another beer from the fridge and hands it to him. Shane’s smile is small and sweet. “Something like that. I fell asleep though.” He says and flops onto the couch, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders until he looks like a Babushka. Ryan takes a tenative seat next to him, sipping his beer. “So...” Shane drawls, reaching over for his own beer and starting to pick at the label “What did you wanna talk about?” Ryan leans back against the couch and stares up at the ceiling, beer cradled between his knees.

“You know when someone just... Drives you crazy?” Shane laughs, but it sound wrong, bitter.

“Yeah buddy I know.” Ryan rolls his head to the side to look at him but Shane’s gaze is downcast as he continues to pick methodically at the label on his beer bottle. “I’m sorry.” Ryan says sincerely, one hand reaching out toward him. He thinks better of it and lets it drop between them. Shane sighs, running a hand through his hair and tugging on it so that strands of it stand up haphazardly “I know.”

“I didn’t mean to make you so self-conscious or- or feel like I hate you or anything.” Ryan says, stumbling over his words and now it just sounds like he’s making excuses and fuck he’s just fucking everything up when did Shane start making him feel so _nervous?_

“I think- I think I knew that, really. But I’m not made of stone Ryan. You should’ve seen me, asking Jen and Sara what I’d done to upset you. I was so paranoid.” He breathes out, fidgeting slightly and trying to sit up straight. It’s that subtle shift that demonstrates how much this has gotten to Shane, how Ryan has unwittingly worn him down. Even the hardest of stones can crack and crumble and break. There have been so many instances where Shane has been Ryan’s rock that he’d forgotten that he’s a self-professed ‘timid man’. He is strong, confident, smart. Ryan had forgotten that Shane gets scared too, fretful and shy. “You shouldn’t be paranoid over me.” He says quietly, feeling guilt coil unpleasantly in his gut. He’s inadvertently been an asshole, all because he’d been unable to distinguish between admiration and annoyance. “I was though” Shane starts, nervously glancing in Ryan’s direction “because I-” he cuts himself off with a frown, teeth clicking from how violently he snaps his mouth shut.

“Because you what?” Ryan prods.

“Because I want you to like me.” He replies in a rush, leaning over to put his untouched beer back on the table. When he leans back he has his hands clasped together, anxiously squeezing his fingers. “But I do like you.” Ryan says confused as his heart starts to beat rabbit quick in his chest. Shane laughs mirthlessly, a sound that sets Ryan’s teeth on edge and he gets the distinct feeling he’s missing something. “Jesus Chri- Okay forget it.” He says throwing his hands up before letting them fall to his lap, palms anxiously rubbing at his knees.

After a while, Shane starts up some random movie and cloaks himself in his blanket, staring intently at the screen as he once again picks up his beer. The same one he’s been nursing for almost an hour now. It’s tense and quiet, and neither of them are really paying attention to the movie, just staring unseeingly at the screen. Ryan is frantically searching through every inch of every conversation they’ve had since this whole ordeal started. Searching for what he’s missing, what he’s not seen or heard. Everything grinds to a stop and he gasps. “Oh!” He exclaims, eyes wide and slapping Shane’s arm as he’s mid sip of his beer. He chokes a little, the small mouthful he’d had dribbling out of his mouth unattractively. Ryan has to stifle a laugh. “What- what the fuck Ryan!” Shane says, wiping his chin with the sleeve of his shirt.

“You want me to _like like_ you.” He says smiling and Shane’s eyes immediately widen, cheeks flushing pink.

“You don’t have to make it sound so middle school. Look just forget I ever said any-”

“It’s you.” Ryan blurts out before Shane can sweep this away, before he can backpedal and they both spend a lifetime never speaking of it again. “What?”

“ _You_ drive me crazy.” He says with a shrug and he feels his palms start to sweat. “That stupid smile you get when you’re doing something just to annoy me, that smug look when you sip your tea when you think you’ve said something clever. The way you pull at your hair, tap the lid of your shitty travel mug-”

“Wow Ry thanks-” Shane starts sarcastically.

“No shut up.” He says cutting him off and bringing his legs up onto the couch to kneel there, facing him. “These little things. They infuriate me. But only because I can’t get the thought of that little half smile you do out of my head, the way you light up and do this little clap when you laugh. Can’t take my eyes off you when you lick your lips when you’re nervous or rub a hand across your face when you’re tired. When I want to play the sound of you’re lawn mower snores and morning mumbles over and over again.”

Ryan stops talking, hands balled into fists on his thighs as Shane stares at him in complete disbelief. He blinks slowly. Once. Twice and then Shane’s hands are cupping his face and he’s tugging him closer. He kisses him desperately, breath leaving him harshly through his nose and Ryan can’t help but smile against his mouth, turning the kiss into an awkward slide of lips but he can feel Shane start to smile too, thumb stroking across his cheek as his other hand slides to the nape of his neck. “You drive me crazy too.” He says quietly, lips brushing against Ryan’s with every word. He shuffles closer but pulls back to look at him, wrapping his arms around his neck. Shane is smiling so wide his eyes crinkle at the corners, looking brighter than they have done in days. “The way you throw in some crazy theory just to try and get a rise out of me. Your stupid shit-eating grin every time it works. That smug smile you get when you think you’ve won an argument keeps me up at night. The weird belly rubbing you do after you’ve eaten that makes everyone ridiculously uncomfortable? Yeah it’s cute and I hate that I’m admitting it.”

“You sap.” Ryan mumbles and Shane rolls his eyes. “We should go out. Like on a date that’s what we do now right?” Ryan asks and predictably Shane laughs at him. "What so you can take me to some restaurant and yell at me for chewing weird?” He teases, tugging Ryan into his side as they settle back into the couch. “Shut up, Shane.” He says without malice. Shane drops a hesitant kiss into Ryan’s hair, arm squeezing around his waist a little tighter as they turn back to the movie. “I mean... This makes a pretty good first date right?” He says quietly and this time Ryan can hear the shyness in his voice. “What right after our first fight?” Ryan says but he’s grinning so wide Shane knows he thinks it’s perfect. “It wasn’t a fight, it was a disagreement and-”

“Here we go again.” Ryan interrupts, rolling his eyes and delighting in the fire that alights in Shane’s eyes. They bicker until long after the credits of roll.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You can find me on tumblr [@mercury-skies](https://mercury-skies.tumblr.com/) and don't forget to check out my partner for this challenge [@faequill](https://faequill.tumblr.com/) and their wonderful piece!


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